2017 Fantasy Baseball: Total Points Catchers

We had been looking at basic five and six category statistics before, but the total points revolution seems to be taking over the sport. Most of you see these numbers in daily fantasy baseball and with changes in legislation, you will only see daily fantasy sports more often. I prefer total points leagues because it encompasses more of what makes players who they are. Each platform has their own formula of what counts for what, so I am using my own formula. Obviously, that could affect their rankings depending on the site you use.

Total Bases: 1 Point Each SO: -1 Point Each

Runs: 1 Point each CS: -1 Point Each

RBI: 1 Point Each GDP: -1 Point Each

SB: 1 Point Each

HBP: 1 Point Each

BB: 1 Point Each

To make things easier, we will divide these players into three different groups. The first group of players are the definite starters no matter what platform you see them in. The second group are players that might be underrated depending on what format you are playing in. The last group would not play in any format. We will look at the top 20 catchers. Numbers are accurate as of Friday August 18th. Walks, stolen bases, and hit by pitches have been combined into the positive category while caught stealings, grounded into double plays, and strikeouts have been combined into the negative column.

Contreras and Perez are obviously hurt, so they are unable to add to their totals. When we get into the offseason we can take a look at a number of different factors and some of that could include points per game. That’s one of the key numbers that daily fantasy players look at. The general idea in daily fantasy (or in total points leagues) is to look at the separation between actual production and perceived production. The fact that Molina finishes fourth represents a huge gap between perceived production (where he might rank in a five or six category format) and what he is actually doing.

Contreras can still come back and if he continues to produce as he was he will likely pass Molina in the final rankings. Some of you might put the top four guys in different orders, but few would dispute that those have been the top four guys this season. Posey is clearly the class of the position and a setup like this makes it that much more obvious.

The second grouping has some interesting stories in it. The first is definitely the fact that the Astros have two top ten catchers and the Braves have two of the top fifteen catchers. Both Gattis and McCann are currently on the disabled list and they have both missed multiple points in the season and are still top ten. Naturally, the DH rule has helped both of them get on the field some, but most of the time it is one or the other. If you put their performances together you get the best catcher in baseball. The Braves duo would come in a close second.

No one in their right mind would call Lucroy a top ten fantasy catcher this season, but there he is. Furthermore, given his improved performance in Colorado it is not out of the question for him to pass up Grandal and Gattis. He is a perfect example of the kind of player you can target in daily fantasy and exploit some inefficiency. Similarly, Wieters is a guy that wouldn’t be a regular on anyone’s fantasy roster, but he is here.

The bottom five catchers are technically a part of a grouping that wouldn’t be fantasy regulars or frequent picks in the total points universe, but the grouping suggests otherwise. The relative difference between the bottom catcher in the second group and all of the catchers here is negligible. That means you can probably afford to punt catchers.